Feeling Appreciative

The thing about life is, growing up, you don’t realize how easy you have it. I mean, yes, a lot of kids grow up with rough lives, but I was blessed to be born into a middle class American family. I always had everything I needed, and some of what I wanted. I wasn’t overly spoiled, but I had toys to play with and a bike and a yard. We had dogs and guinea pigs and birds and mice and snakes and tarantulas and bunnies and fish (not all at the same time). I had friends and an imagination. I got a cell phone when I was 13, even though I didn’t use it too much when I first got it. I had my own car when I got my license, and my parents paid for my gas. They bought me all my clothes and cooked all my food. I was thoroughly taken care of, even when we didn’t always get along.

When I got into college, it took me more than a semester to find a job. My parents helped me out until then. Even more so, they paid for almost half of my schooling, while the rest was covered by loans, so I never really paid anything out of pocket. When I had my own job I started paying for gas and such, but my parents still pay my cell phone bill.

As an adult, especially with school loans about to kick in, I’m thinking about how blessed I am. I am so thankful that I was born where I was born into the family I was born into, even though I don’t always appreciate it. I’m thankful that I can always go to them if I have problems, and if I crash and burn, they’ll still be there for me.

Life is tough and paying bills and cooking your own food and doing your own laundry sucks sometimes. Being an adult isn’t always the best. But I am free. Thank God for freedom. Thank God for fun hotel jobs and dope camp jobs and the best roommates anyone could ask for. Thank God for Finland and the people who come from there (Anu). Thank God for provision and joy and happiness and creativity.

I moved back to the area because my mom has cancer. I felt God calling me to be closer to her. But He has brought me back here for so much more than just that. If you’re a pray-er, it would be so awesome if you could pray for health for my mom. But if you’re just here to read, that’s cool too. Just remember where you came from, and maybe count your blessings.